Man builds memorial for woman he never met

Monday

Oct 29, 2007 at 12:01 AMOct 29, 2007 at 12:51 AM

A Brighton man fashioned a marker for Tiffany Nealon after her death in March. Her parents thanked him Saturday.

Jessica Gaspar

Driving south on Interstate 590 between the Monroe Avenue and Winton Road exits, one can easily spot a white wooden stake outlined with colorful flowers. It reads: TIFFANY 030707, a reminder that 28-year-old Tiffany Nealon died there.

But, the memorial was not placed there by a family member, nor was it placed there by a friend. The stake was made by hand and placed in the exact spot Nealon died by a complete stranger, someone who heard about her death on the news and was so struck by the woman, he felt she needed to have something done in her memory.

On March 7, a vehicle driving in the northbound lanes of Interstate 590 went airborne and flew into the southbound lanes, striking Tiffany Nealon’s car. Nealon and the driver of that car died at the scene. Another vehicle was struck, but the driver of that car suffered only minor injuries.

A few days later, Brighton resident Bob Farrell left a message on the funeral home’s online guest book for Nealon’s parents, Pam and Tom Nealon of Hamburg.
“He said, ‘My heart just went out to you,’” Pam Nealon said.

When Farrell first heard of the accident on the news, he was concerned it could be someone he knew, possibly even his wife Alii, since the couple lives nearby. But, even after he found out it wasn’t a loved one, he grew remorseful.

Tiffany Nealon was someone’s daughter, he said. Having six kids of his own, he could relate to the pain.

“I just felt compelled to do something,” Farrell said. The Nealons saw the memorial for the first time in September. But, since the Farrells were out of town, they weren’t able to meet the man who honored their daughter. The two families arranged a visit for Saturday, Oct. 27 at the Cracker Barrel restaurant in Henrietta.

There, the Nealons presented Bob Farrell with two gifts. Tiffany Nealon, who was a graphic designer, enjoyed drawing, so the Nealons gave Bob Farrell two of her creations: the face of a dog and a castle surrounded by woods. Affixed to the back of the castle picture were two pictures of Tiffany Nealon, one as a child and another as an adult.

“I’m speechless,” Bob Farrell said. “It’s a connection to something she really did with her hands.”

The Nealons said much the same of Farrell’s handiwork.

“It turned out beautiful,” Tom Nealon said.

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